Growth target missed

And, a rocket that blasts off – and returns

View In Browser July 15, 2026   China misses growth target for first time since Covid-19 Stephanie Yang, John Liu CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty Images China is struggling to offset economic challenges both at home and abroad, with its economy growing at a slower-than-expected pace in the second quarter of the year.    On Wednesday, the country’s National Bureau of Statistics said the economy grew 4.3% in the quarter ending June 30, compared with the same period a year ago.    The figures, which fell short of expectations for 4.5% growth, are a rare admission of economic weakness for China, which has long worked to prop up industrial activity with infrastructure investment and exports.    That’s also despite China’s target for 4.5-5% expansion this year, the lowest since Beijing started announcing such figures in the early 1990s. In 2020, officials decided not to set a target, during the Covid-19 pandemic.    The weaker economic data is a sign that sluggish consumption at home is outweighing recent strength in Chinese exports, and the nation is not immune from the economic turmoil caused by the war in Iran.    The divergence underscores an increasingly pronounced “two-track economy” in China; advanced technologies powering its thriving export engine, while demand for everyday goods stagnates at home. Analysts said the persistence of such underlying weakness also raises the question of whether Chinese officials will turn to more fiscal stimulus to try and boost domestic spending.  Keep reading Ding Yi/VCG/Getty Images Rocket returns China has successfully recovered the first stage of a carrier rocket during an orbital launch test, state media reported – a breakthrough for the country as it vies to catch up with American rivals in reusable rocket technology.    The Long March 10B rocket was launched from Hainan island in southern China last week. About six minutes after ⁠separation of its first and upper stage, the first-stage booster returned to a floating platform, according to state broadcaster CCTV.    Video posted by a CCTV-affiliated social media account shows the booster smoking at the top as it lowers onto the platform.    The successful landing follows failed tests of other rockets in recent months as multiple companies in China’s crowded space sector have raced to tick off milestones in the development of reusable launch technology.    It puts China – which aims to establish itself as a “strong aerospace nation” – closer to matching the reusable rocket capabilities of American firms.   Read more An American scientist who has studied underground nuclear tests has been detained in China for more than 18 months on spying charges, according to his supporters and a US lawmaker. The detention of Youlin Chen – a seismologist whose work focuses on using data to improve ways to identify nuclear tests, including by North Korea – is probably linked to China’s recent expansion of its nuclear capabilities, US non-profit Global Reach said.    Beijing has banned companies from offering AI companion services – including those which mimic family members or partners – to minors, underscoring the country’s unease over AI intimacy. Officials also warned firms to avoid inducing emotional dependence and addiction in adults. But non-emotional support, such as customer services and virtual assistant programs, will not be affected.     Typhoon Maysak battered the southern region of Guangxi over the past week, killing at least 39 people and unleashing flash flooding that caused around 900 snakes to run loose from their farms. At least one woman died after being bitten by a snake, possibly a cobra. The owner of an animal shelter waded through the deluge to evacuate cats and dogs stranded at a flooded facility. Another typhoon, Bavi, rocked the northeastern province of Liaoning this week, triggering heavy downpours and evacuations of nearly 365,000 people, state media reported.    More than two dozen people were killed in a fire at a shoe factory in southeastern China last week, the latest in a series of deadly accidents at production facilities in the country in recent months.    Meanwhile, medical tourism is thriving in China: the country has joined a list of Asian destinations to offer alternative options for those seeking a bargain for their medical procedures.    “No domestic demand, all about exports – it’s really quite unsustainable, to be frank.”   – Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at financial firm Natixis, on Wednesday’s release of China’s second-quarter GDP growth   The shocking rape and murder of a girl in eastern India has sparked widespread unrest, the lynching of an innocent man, and police killing their main suspect in custody.   A huge fire tore through a music bar in Bangkok, killing at least 27 people in the Thai capital’s deadliest blaze in 17 years.  A cattle herder survived a terrifying lion encounter in India’s western state of Gujarat, underscoring the rise in human-lion conflicts in the region.  How did the Cockroach Party, a once-satirical movement in India, come to challenge Narendra Modi’s government? CNN’s Meanwhile in Asia explains.  Japan is running out of royals. So why won’t it let women become emperor?  Parents abducting their own children has been a longstanding problem in Japan. The country brought in a law change earlier this year to stop it.  Check out this haunting portrait that reveals the suppressed history of marriages long considered taboo in Asia.  Lastly, this is now the number-one karaoke song in Japan: it lasts for just three seconds and involves singing about salt.  What did you think of today's email? Send us feedback: meanwhileinchina@cnn.com   You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for Meanwhile in China. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or sign up to manage your CNN account   Sign up for a free CNN account   Privacy Policy | Terms of Use   ® © 2026 Cable News Network. A Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All Rights Reserved. 1050 Techwood Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30318